Swoon At Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter

Amazon.com:

You’d think Polly Martin would have all the answers when it comes to love—after all, her grandmother is the famous syndicated advice columnist Miss Swoon. But after a junior year full of dating disasters, Polly has sworn off boys. This summer, she’s going to focus on herself for once. So Polly is happy when she finds out Grandma is moving in—think of all the great advice she’ll get. But Miss Swoon turns out to be a man-crazy sexagenarian! How can Polly stop herself from falling for Xander Cooper, the suddenly-hot skateboarder who keeps showing up while she’s working at Wild Waves water park, when Grandma is picking up guys at the bookstore and flirting with the dishwasher repairman? No advice column can prepare Polly for what happens when she goes on a group camping trip with three too many ex-boyfriends and the tempting Xander. Polly is forced to face her feelings and figure out if she can be in love—and still be herself.

I LOVE LOVE LOVED Sydney Salter's My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters so I just knew I had to give Swoon At Your Own Risk I try. Unfortunately this book didn't quite do it for me like her previous one did.

I think this is rare for me but I just didn't really like the main character Polly. She wasn't a bad person by any means but I don't know if she wasn't believable to me. I can't pinpoint it but I didn't really like her. Same goes for her mother and grandmother who were sort of absent in her life while still being around (and her father who actually was absent). I thought her little sister Grace was funny though, with her stuffed animal obsession.

And I thought the whole multiple ex-boyfriends plot would be funny but it turned out to be sort of annoying and unbelievable to me. I don't know why, but I can't believe that she had that many ex-boyfriends in that amount of time. Something was off. Same goes for all the minor characters (except for Xander). I just didn't like them. Polly's best friend Jane made me mad and all her wild co-workers at Wild Waves just didn't seem that like good of people to me.

But Xander, someone that Polly knew from childhood as the weird kid, blossoms into this handsome and confident young man. I loved this guy and how he was so sweet when Polly was hot and cold and yes and no (to quote Katy Perry). I kinda just wish he was falling for someone other than Polly. It sounds so mean when I say that but I honestly thought that while reading.

I'm not really sure how I could feel this way about Swoon when I so loved Big Nose but I do. Honestly it could just be me, be sure to check out some of the other reviews! I'll definitely be reading the author's future works though to see if maybe I can find some of that Big Nose magic again!

Swoon At Your Own Risk was released on April 5th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
2.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by Amazon Vine

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Amazon.com:

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Oh boy, this book, this was a tough one to figure out for me. I started reading, liked the style but was a bit concerned that the same day repeating 7 times might get a little old, I had heard it didn't, but sadly the first 3 days turned out to be very similar in my mind. I gave the book a break for a few weeks and picked it back up. Luckily the days started to become more different, Sam began to speak her mind and shake things up and I was a bit more hooked. More characters were explored, Sam started to grow up and speak her mind. But the end was not good for me. I won't say much about it here so as not to spoil, but some people like these types of endings and sometimes I do as well. But it was written in such a way that I didn't get any sort of resolution or validation and I was left with frustration.

Sam is an interesting character, she was at her best when she was spending time with her little sister. Her friends are the mean popular girls that I never really was able to warm up to. It was kind of upsetting that Sam was like, well, that's just the way they are and I love them anyways. Her friend Lindsay especially got on my nerves, she was not a good person. In the end I did like that the 7 days explored the everyday things that could change in Sam's life, who she had lunch with, what she did after school, the more minor things. Things she took the time to do one day or the people she got to know another.

I most enjoyed the middle of the book when Sam gets to know her old friend Kent and hangs out with people other than her 3 good friends. Overall this book was frustrating to me, don't get me wrong there was something here it just didn't fit together perfectly for me.

Before I Fall was released on March 2nd
Genre: Young Adult
2.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by the publisher

Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Amazon.com:

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. This is a spellbinding display of storytelling that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.

I found the premise of this book very interesting but in the end it didn't exactly shine for me.
I loved the character of Tamsin and her family of witches. She's never had a Talent so she's given up trying to shine until one day someone asks for her help...

For the most part I enjoyed her family. Especially in some of the scenes where her grandmother and other relatives are much younger. Those scenes sparkled for me. I found her sister Rowena rather hard to deal with though, yes, it wasn't really her fault but it doesn't mean I couldn't have enjoyed those passages more.

The scenes I liked best were Tamsin being a regular girl hanging out with her roommate in NYC or hanging out with childhood friend, Gabriel, learning about Talent. I had some trouble with the scenes dealing with Talent towards the ending especially and about the family heirloom in question. It could have been just me but some things didn't really make sense to me. It seems like it was left open for a sequel which might help elaborate on some of my confusion but I don't know. Some things were a bit fuzzy for me that probably shouldn't have been.

Overall, this book wasn't exactly for me but I would be interested to see where this story continues in the next book.

Once A Witch will be released September 14th
Genre: Young Adult
2.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by Amazon Vine

A Girl's Guide to Modern European Philosophy by Charlotte Greig

Amazon.com:

Susannah’s official boyfriend, Jason, is the perfect foil for her student lifestyle. He is ten years older, an antiques dealer, and owns a stylish apartment that prevents her from having to live in the seedy digs on campus. This way, she can take her philosophy major very seriously and dabble in the social and sexual freedom of 1970s university life. But circumstances become more complicated than Susannah would like when she begins to have an affair with her tutorial partner, Rob. Soon she is dating two men, missing her lectures, exploring Independence and feminism with her girlfriends, and finding herself in a particularly impossible dilemma: she becomes pregnant. Forced to look beyond her friends and lovers for support, she finds help and inspiration from the lessons of Kierkegaard and other European philosophers.

A Girl’s Guide to Modern European Philosophy is a delightfully insightful, bittersweet coming-of-age romp, in which love is far from platonic and the mind—body predicament a pressing reality. It even succeeds where many introductions to philosophy have failed, by effortlessly bringing to life the central tenets of the most important European philosophers of modern times.

A Girl's Guide to Modern European Philosophy was just ok to me. I think before deciding to read it I should have considered the fact that the word "Philosophy" was in the title a bit more than I did. I think if I appreciated Philosophy a bit more than I do I would have enjoyed it more.

I found the story to be rather slow moving for me. I thought the idea of Susannah trying to balance two relationships, school, and growing up would be enough to grab my attention but still I had troubles enjoying it. I think part of it was that I didn't really like any of the characters. Don't get me wrong, I didn't really dislike any of them I just didn't really find myself attached to them either.

While I did have some troubles with the book there were also some rather enjoyable passages for me. I especially liked when Susannah was first getting to know her classmate Rob and they would just sit around and chat for hours. I really liked those parts.

I'm not spoiling anything for you by saying that an accidental pregnancy comes to play in the book. I found that an interesting dilemma, Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice. I kind of liked going through the thought process with her but at the same time it kind of stressed me out. To me that's one of life's biggest questions.

Overall an interesting coming-of-age novel, especially for those interested in Philosophy. While maybe it wasn't for me, I can see how others could definitely find it very interesting.

A Girl's Guide to Modern European Philosophy on May 12th.
Genre: Adult
2.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by Amazon Vine

Chasing Boys by Karen Tayleur

From Amazon.com:

An insightful coming-of-age novel for girls with no interest in being “Pretty in Pink”. El Marini just isn’t fitting into the new life she’s been forced to create without her dad. Her mom and sister have accepted his absence and moved on, but El is convinced things will get back to normal if she just keeps her feelings of loss to herself and waits it out. Life at her new public school would have been unbearable if weren’t for Eric Callahan. As her crush grows to epic proportions, she’ll do anything to be more like the popular girls he notices, even buying the first pink top she’s ever owned. But then she meets Dylan, a quiet artistic-type who is both unnerving and annoying as he shines a light on El’s misguided attempts to attract Eric. El’s need for acceptance will hit home with teens as she finally sees that chasing boys has distracted her from making peace with the past and finding herself.

I have mixed feelings about this book, there were some things that worked and others that just didn't. In the end the book let me scratching my head a bit but there are still some good things going on here.

For the most part I liked the characters in this book, particularly artistic type Dylan. I would swoon for that boy in a second. I loved all the scenes he and El were together. For the most part I liked the main character El but it got to the point where she was a bit too obsessed with Eric, who she's had a crush on forever and it starts to get rather annoying. I liked the basic set-up, girl trying to get through high school but it just never fully played out in my opinion.

The book could be pretty funny yet sad at times, I especially enjoyed El's sessions with her therapist Leonard, where she wouldn't say anything the whole time for the most part. Also, this book is written in short chapters so it makes it very easy to get through, I really liked that.

I think what really bothered me about the book was the ending, it was very loosely wrapped up and then had this strange twist at the end, which basically contradicted something the author had previously stated, basically she pulled a fast one. While it did make sense, it was just sort of out of nowhere.

All in all an ok enough book but it didn't really have enough resolution for me.

Chasing Boys was released on January 6th.

2.5/5 Stars
Review copy received from publisher

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Amazon.com:

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

So I had heard this book was a bit scary and the blurb made me think instantly of the movie, The Village. I was beyond excited to read it and try something a little bit different for me. It started out great, I loved the writing and the simpleness of the town, a town that was full of secrets I couldn't wait to learn. I loved the hushed whispering of the Sisters and the romantic encounters between two of the characters and the path... the path that's off limits. I had to know where it was all going.

And then there was a lot of waiting and sitting around and I started to get kind of bored. I don't know if I was desensitized because of the connection I made to the Village and having seeing a funny zombie movie, Shaun of the Dead. But it just wasn't really to scary to me, slightly creepy I guess but that faded quickly. I did like the idea that this village is surrounded my Unconsecrated (zombies) at all times, they are just kind of there. But it just wasn't happening for me.

Originally I liked how simple the story was and the characters were, it was about their survival and love for each other and then after Mary talked about the ocean for the 100th time I realized that was all she was going to talk about, that and her love for Travis.

I think this book just might not have been for me. I did hear there were more books to come though and I do look forward to them, I think the next book might be of more interest to me. All in all, for me, a great beginning that kind of dropped off from there. Maybe this will be your cup of tea, it just wasn't mine.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth was released on March 10th.

2.5/5 Stars
Review copy received from publisher

Check out the trailer, it's really well done!

Everything Is Fine. By Ann Dee Ellis

Amazon.com:

Stuck at home caring for her severely depressed mother and abandoned by her father, Mazzy has only the day-to-day dramas of her neighborhood to keep her busy. But between flirting with the boy next door and worrying about the fact that she's flat-chested, Mazzy has to face the fact that her mom is emotionally paralyzed by a family tragedy. As readers delve into the story, they'll eventually discover what it was that tore Mazzy's family apart, and they'll see what it takes to put it back together.

Despite its serious subject matter, Mazzy brings humor to the trying age of adolescence and gives readers just the kind of awkward, troubled, and endearing character they will gladly embrace.

Review:

This book was strange it was hard for me to comprehend. Though, everything made more sense after finding out about the horrible tragedy this family went through. Still something was off. I think it was the character of Mazzy. At first I thought maybe she had regressed backwards in maturity after the tragedy but after reading a bit about before it happened it seemed she was still kind of the same. I found it strange that she karate chopped people when she was upset or didn't know what to do, but found out this is something she also did before as well. I sort of pinpointed her around 6th-7th grade. I don't know. And wearing oranges in your bra multiple times, I sort of felt like she was trying to get attention with some of the strange things she did.

The situation the family was in was just hard to read as well. A catatonic mother and an absent family basically leaving this child to take care of herself. Thankfully she had neighbors to check on her when she allowed it. It was just really hard to read. Thankfully there were bits of humor sprinkled through the book, Mazzy's opinion on Oprah or her chats with her neighbor Colby.
One thing I really liked about the book were Mazzy's artwork. Basically abstract art (smudges etc) that was pretty interesting to see.

I felt like the ending was going in a hopeful direction but it wasn't really enough for me personally. None the less, this was an interesting and emotional book.

Everything Is Fine was released March 1st.

2.5/5 Stars
Review copy received from publisher

Swimming With Strangers by Kirsten Sundberg Lundstrum

From ChronicleBooks.com:

Swimming With Strangers -- This Life She's Chosen, Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum's acclaimed debut story collection hailed as "haunting and inspired" by The Boston Globe introduced readers to her penetrating and delicate voice. In eight new stories, Lunstrum further explores the nuances and complexities of women's relationships with their lovers, friends, and families in a new collection. Authentic, probing, and graceful, Swimming With Strangers reveals the currents hidden beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary events.

I love short stories and thought I'd gotten used to the fact that sometimes they just fade to an ending without anything concrete happening to end the story. Maybe I've had enough of that because I was really hoping for something to happen at the ending of each of these instead of them just ending. Maybe I need a break from short stories?

So because of that I guess this collection was just ok for me. Some of the stories did stand out for me more than others including: Dangerous Women, about a college student that works for her professor at his house; Baby Love, about two young cousins that are picked on by their older siblings, and Islands, which is about two couples staying next door to each other while on vacation over the holidays. In a lot of these stories things almost happen but then don't. That definitely got frustrating after awhile.

I do appreciate going into these worlds and meeting these characters but because of the vague endings I felt like I didn't know them as much as I could have. I guess they were literally snapshots of life, and exciting things don't always happen in life.

Do you find with short stories, that they sometimes just don't have an ending?

2.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by publisher

Creepers by Joanne Dahme

13 year old Courtney has just moved to town with her parents, the first thing she notices about her new house is the abundance of ivy covering it, (no matter how much ivy her father removes it just comes right back) also the cemetery next door. In the cemetery Courtney meets Margaret Geyer and her father Christian, they give tours of the cemetery. Soon they share a secret with Courtney, they have relative, Prudence, that is supposed to be resting in the cemetery but they know her body is not there.

Prudence and her father, also Christian once lived in Courtney's house. When young Prudence died her father was beside himself and allowed a witch to try and help him bring Prudence back to life. But where is Prudence? And is the Ivy trying to tell Courtney something? This is the story of Courtney and the Geyer's quest to find Prudence and reunite her with her father, even in death.

This is a sweet little mysterious story, a great summer or fall read for junior high aged kids. Courtney senses something different about Margaret and Christian Geyer but can't quite put her finger on it, I think readers will have a fun time guessing just what is up with these two characters. I'll tell you this, I guessed wrong! I found the ending a little too vague for my own tastes. And not all my questions were totally answered. But who knows, maybe that was the point. Not everything always has to be wrapped up neatly.

Each chapter is started with a news clipping, or other piece of information that helps piece the puzzle together. There are also several images throughout the book and pages of the 1st Christian Geyer's diary. I really liked that aspect of the books design, it created a world for this story to take place within. To compliment the abundance of ivy (a character itself) in the book there is ivy growing on the pages of the book! Very smart book design!


Find Creepers in stores September 8th.
2.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by publisher

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

I don't want to say too much about New Moon so as not to ruin it for anyone that hasn't read Twilight (because you should read Twilight!). So I'll try and keep it short and vague.

Let's see, I wish there was more vampire awesomeness, related to their powers and back story. I haven't read Eclipse yet so I'm crossing my fingers that these things will come up more in the last two books.

Bella got sort of depressingly pathetic during the middle part of the book.

My favorite parts of the books tend to be when the vampires are being their awesome and nurturing (Alice) selves.

I heard that this cover really has no meaning to Stephanie and that she doesn't really like it. What I want to know is how they were able to give her what she wants for the other covers but completely dropped the ball on this one. What changed that she had no say for this cover. Or is it that she just happened to like what they came up with for the others and she's never had a say to begin with? That really bugs me, I think authors should have more of a say. I also thing the designers should read the books before trying to design a cover, I know that's not always possible but I think it's important enough that an effort should be made to get them the manuscript or something.

2.5/5 Stars
Purchased by myself

What's your favorite book from the Twilight series? Are you going to go and pick up Breaking Dawn at midnight when it's released?

Gossip of Starlings

The back cover says it all. Prep school, drugs, friendship, tragedy. Already knowing that, there was nothing left for me to be engaged by.

Gossip of the Starlings is the story of two girls (Catherine and Skye) and their friendship while attending an all girls boarding school. Catherine is a new student leaving her old school for her "bad girl" ways and Skye is the daughter of a senator with a constant spotlight on her.

I thought I was in for a shocking tragic read, it was more sad and not totally unexpected based on the premise. I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters or really caring what happened to them. I would have enjoyed more of the prep school atmosphere, with more teachers and students and their interactions. I felt the story was pretty simple and almost quiet in a way. It would have been nice to see Catherine and Skye framed by a few more characters.

Overall it was a ok read, I did enjoy the writing, it was beautiful, just would have liked more character development and characters.

Out June 10th. ARC from Librarything's Early Reviewers program.
2.5/5 Stars